Method of making an insole having a single tape sewing rib



1955 v. A. SHERBROOK 2,71

METHOD OF MAKING AN INSOLE HAVING A SINGLE TAPE SEWING RIB Filed May 19, 1952 4r TOE/VEY United METHOD OF MAKIVG AN INSOLE HAVING A SINGLE TAPE SEWING RIB This invention relates to new and improved sewing rib constructions for insoles for boots and shoes in general and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a single separate tape-like material folded in a novel manner and applied to the insole in a novel way to achieve the clearly advantageous result of requiring no channeling and no special reeinforcing anywhere nor any special separate ribs or lips as for instance in the shank area. The prior art while recognizing the problem and the advantages to be derived has failed in some instances to offer a good solution from a quality point of view based on strength, but merely suggest the use of ply tapes which are entirely dependent on adhesives for securement. These are hard to handle and inapplicable to featherless inner soles.

In other instances, the prior art has achieved quality and strength by securing tape ribs with means other than adhesive only and further strengthening by additional separate reenforcement, the latter being more expensive to manufacture.

The new improved, single tape, sewing rib, will maintain a high quality, constantly strong inner sole at less cost to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new, single, folded tape rib that is appli cable to any insole whether featherless or not, and may be applied directly to the insole at the extreme edge thereof or at any point inwardly from the edge of the insole whether at the forepart or in the shank area; the provision of such a rib that is applied flat and cemented and simultaneously secured mechanically as by stitching, the construction being such that the mere act of securement automatically causes the rib to extend upwardly from the insole surface ready for sewing to the upper or welt in the usual way; and the provision of the tape-like rib described that avoids the need for the canvas or gem duck ordinarily required, and thus resulting in saving from this aspect of the invention.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a tape-like material, folding the same longitudinally along at least two parallel lines, thus forming a single cement course and a folded double rib course, and then cementing the first-named course to the insole and securing, as by sewing, the rib course to the insole along a line closely adjacent to the cemented area but not in it, this action causing the rib course to stand up as a rib by pivoting 0n the adjacent edge of the cemented course; the provision of the tape and method as described wherein the free edge of the rib course extends beyond the edge of cement course in superposed or overlapped flat relation of the two courses, the line of securement of the rib course passing through the said extended edge of the rib course closely adjacent the edge of the cement course; and the provision of the rib and method above stated including a further fold or folds in the tape-like material to increase the thickness and strength of the rib course.

rates Patent 0 Z,7l3,$92 Patented July 26, 1955 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of an insole having the new rib attached;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the rib cut and in section;

Fig. 3 illustrates the first fold;

Fig. 4 illustrates the second fold;

Fig. 5 illustrates the third fold;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the completed rib material in storage condition and ready for application;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged action illustrating the method of application of the rib to the insole; and

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7 but showing the rib complete and the cover applied.

There have been numerous attempts to rid the shoemaking art of the necessity of channeling the insole to provide sewing ribs, and some of these attempts while successful in accomplishing the results of allowing a thinner forepart and eliminating the feather, etc., resulting in more flexible sole footwear, nevertheless it has been discovered that the rib may be made faster, be more easily applied, and result in savings due to these attributes as well as eliminating double thickness tapes and the double operation inherent therein, reenforcing, and the canvas or gem duck liner for the ribbed side of the insole.

In carrying out this invention, there is provided a suitable tape-like material 10 of fiat elongated form and capable of spooling, and this tape is longitudinally folded as shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The initial fold is inwardly from one edge, as at 12, Fig. 3; this fold is folded over on itself, as at 14, Fig. 4; and then this fold, now of triple thickness, is reversely folded, i. e., it is double over the opposite side surface of the main body of tape so that fold 12 is adjacent the edge and fold 14 is inwardly positioned, see Fig. 6. Fold 16 now appears.

The resulting tape is four thicknesses thick, these being identified by the numerals 18, 20, 22, and 24, the last layer being single and wider than the others, and the fold 12 lying outboard throughtout its length beyond fold 16, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In other words, fold 12 lies outwardly beyond fold 16 along the entire length of the tape.

Layers 18, 20 and 22 may be cemented or otherwise secured to each other as these three laps form the rib course, but they are unsecured to layer 24 except by the tape material itself at fold 16, and layer 24 forms the cement course which is to be cemented flatly to the insole along the line desired for the rib position. The layer 20 may be omitted or replaced by a separate reenforcing strip, but it has been found that the construction shown is satisfactory for all purposes of the nature described.

With the folded tape as shown in Figs. 6 or 7, the same is rapidly laid down on the insole Where desired with the bottom surface of layer 24 cemented flatly to the insole, and as the tape is so processed, the fold 12 is secured as by stitching 26 to the insole more adjacent the edge thereof as respects the cemented course. The line of stitching 26 is very close to the adjacent edge of the cemented course, and may be made simultaneously with the act of cementing layer 24 so that but a single pass of the insole in the rib attaching machine is made. This fact alone saves time as it is necessary in the prior art to apply extra ribs at the shank, and to pass the insole through the lip setting machine. Hence the fact of simultaneous cementing and stitching is an important advance in the art, as well as the shape, constructions, etc., of the rib tape.

Attention is directed to Fig. 7 of the drawings wherein the projected line of the stitching is shown at 28. This line passes through fold 12 directly to the insole, and just misses fold 16, so that fold 12 is brought down snugly to the insole and in close contact with fold 16. In fact, the folds are jammed together, as represented in Fig. 8, having due consideration for the yielding, fabric type of tape material conveniently used. The entire rib course composed of layers 18, 20, and 22 is forced to pivot up, swinging on the top part of fold 16 as a fulcrum, and thus automatically the rib course =1 rises to the position of Fig. 8. The rib will not reach a vertical, but will rise by itself to the position wanted for sewing the upper or welt thereto. The cover 30 may be applied as usual and will help to stiffen the rib but it is not necessary to the invention.

The usual canvas or gem duck is omitted as unnecessary since the rib is already standing up and needs no additional reenforcement, and this fact saves several cents per pair of shoes. The rib does not need any setting up operation, and the cover is easily applied if used. The rib is applied at the very edge of the forepart, see Figs. 1 and 2, or may be set in from the edge as in the usual insole having a feather. The tape may be made, i. e., folded to the position of Fig. 6, spooled,

and stored, ready for use, or it may be made by automatic machinery at the rib attaching machine.

The new ribbing allows the use of foreparts or entire insoles of thin material or of material not suited to channeling. The lip-setting operation is avoided as is all channeling; extra shank lips are done away with;

there is no need for an extra reenforcing tape; and the relatively weak, all cemented tapes of the prior art are greatly improved by the added sewing of the present invention. All-cemented ribs tend to loosen during pulling over and toe lasting, and often the bottom fillers have decomposed the adhesive and caused failure of the cemented ribs. The same is true of perspiration and i moisture in general, which undermine the adhesiveness of the cemented rib. With the new rib, the strength thereof not dependent on mere adhesiveness, but still the new rib is less expensive than cemented ribs as above explained.

What I claim is:

The method of making a ribbed insole comprising providing an insole, providing a longitudinal tape folded along longitudinal lines to form a flat attaching surface and a U-shaped rib portion, the opposite edge of the tape from the attaching surface being extended within the U-shaped rib portion and cemented to the sides thereof, simultaneously cementing the flat attaching surface to the insole and sewing the tape thereto by a seam extending only through the outermost fold of the rib portion whereby the tape is raised to upper attaching position by the tension of the stitches and is securely held to the insole by both the cemented union and the sewed seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 861,360 Eaton July 30, 1907 1,034,208 Corson July 30, 1912 1,147,787 Corson July 27, 1915 1,198,101 Brackett Sept. 12, 1916 1,737,986 Valentine Dec. 3, 1929 2,203,822 Hyman June 11, 1940 2,234,136 Barr Mar. 4, 1941 2,365,633 Friend et a1. Dec. 19, 1944 2,427,739 Paulsen Sept. 23, 1947 2,499,463 Crary Mar. 7, 1950 2,541,151 Brandt Feb. 13, 1951 2,595,895 Sherbrook May 6, 1952 2,627,079 Ridderstrom Feb. 3, 1953 2,688,759 Clark Sept. 14, 1954 

